Closure for containers



D. W. DES ROCHES CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Feb. 21, 1939.

Filed Nov. 23, 1936 LVVJ 11w. D62: Racks-.5

' Patented Feb. 21, 1939 PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Donald Welz Des Roches, Toronto, Ontario,

Canada Application November 23, 1936, Serial No. 112,374

. In Canada November 14, 1936 17 Claims. (Cl. 22 1-60) This invention relates to closures for containers, more particularly to closures for collapsible tubes. The well known screw cap for containers has long been recognized as being objectionable because of the fact that the cap is easily lost or misplaced, and a good deal of trouble is involved in removing and replacing the cap. A good many efforts have been made to overcome these objections, but most devices for that purpose have not been practical because they have either not provided an air-tight seal or because the cost has been prohibitive. Containers are sold in large quantities at a small margin of profit, and the addition of a fraction of a cent to the cost of manufacture is an important item.

The object of my invention is to devise a closure which may be readily opened and closed without removing the cap and which willv provide an airtight closure without the use of washers, and which may be manufactured at a cost at or below the cost of the ordinary screw cap. According to my prior Patent No. 2,061,796 I attain this object by forming the exterior of the discharge end of the container with slots or recesses forming shoulders in two opposite sides adapted to be engaged by the inturned edges of the flange of a slide cap.

According to the present invention the flanges of the cap when mounted on the discharge end are outwardly tensioned whereby the top is depressed 80 into close contact with. the top of the discharge end. The shoulder may be continuous in a discharge end of cylindrical or truncated conical form, and the cap may be mounted for back and forth or rotary sliding movement. The sides of the discharge end above the shoulders may be tapered so that the slide may be snapped over the top of the discharge end. A hole or opening is located in the top of the cap adjacent one side thereof and adapted to register with the opening in the discharge'end of the container. The hole or opening may be provided with a seal and means for breaking the seal. Other, objects of' my invention and other details and modifications of my construction will hereinafter appear. I 4 The construction above described has the advantages of myprior invention and provides a new and effective means for obtaining a close substantially air-tight contact between the cap and the discharge end.

My invention is hereinafter more particularly described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and slightly exaggerated;

Fig. 2 a side elevation of a. modification of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a side elevation of my invention applied to a substantially cylindrical discharge end and adapted for back and forth sliding movement; 5

Fig. 4 a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

. Fig. 6 a plan view of my invention as applied 10 to a discharge end of substantially cylindrical shape and adapted for rotary movement;

Fig. '7 a side elevationof a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 a side elevation of a further modification 15 of the construction shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 a side elevation of a still further modification;

Fig. 10 a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 9; I I 90 Fig. 11 a vertical section illustrating sealing means for the opening in the discharge end and means for breaking the seal;

Fig. 12 a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 11; v 25 Fig. 13 a vertical section illustrating another means for sealing the opening in the discharge end and breaking the seal;

Fig. 14 a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 13; and v Fig. 15 aplan view of a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 12.

Corresponding numbers in the different figures refer to corresponding parts.

Referringparticularly to Fig. 1, the discharge 35 end I of a collapsible or other container 2 is substantially rectangular in horizontal cross-section and the sides thereof taper toward the top or upper end thereof, the generalshape of said discharge end being frusto-pyramidal. 40

Spaced from the upper face or top of the discharge end land extending substantially parallel thereto are two recesses cut or moulded in opposite sides of the said discharge end and forming two shoulders 3, 3.

A slide cap 4 having depending flanges 4 4 the lower edges 4", 4 of which are inturned for engagement with the said shoulders-3, 3, is slidably mounted on the saiddischarge end, the said inturned edges 4*, 4 bearing against the said shoulders 3, 3 and the under surface of said slide cap 4 engaging the upper surface or top of the said discharge end I. The slide cap 4 is formed of resilient material, preferably copper or brass or a non-corrodible metal.

The opening I in the discharge end I is preferably round or oval in horizontal section (see for example Fig. 4), and in the top of the slide cap IisanopeningI.whichmaybethe sameahape astheopeninglinthedischargeend I,and which is adapted to register with said opening I in one position of the slide cap I. The opening I may be smaller and of any desired shape, as illustrated in my prior Patent No. 2,081,796, so that the contents may be expressed as a ribbon of any desired shape, in the case of paste. The opening I maybe merelyin the form ofa recess, asillustrated in my aforesaid prior Patent No. 2,061,796. At the ends of the slide cap I are lugs I, I (see Figs. 8 and 4) which are adapted to engage the discharge end I to prevent the slide from being removed, and limit the amount of travel of the closure and maintain the registry of the openings. The slide cap may be applied to the discharge end of the container by forcing it on from one side thereof and subsequently bending the lugs I to prevent the removal thereof. However, it is an important feature of my invention that the slide cap I may be snapped on from the top of the discharge end by placing it over the end and pressing it down. The outward slope of the discharge end I causes the flanges I. I of the slide cap I to be pressed outwardly until the inturned edges I", I" slip over the shoulders I, I. The distance between the upper edges or shoulders of the slots I, I is substantially the same as the normal distance between the flanges I", so that when the cap is in position on the discharge end the flanges I, I bear against the said shoulders.

The construction of cap as described above is in accordance with my prior Patent No. 2,061,796. According to my present invention the flanges of the cap I are outwardly tensioned when mounted on the discharge end as illustrated in Fig. 1. This causes the top of the cap to tend to dish or fiex so that its upper side is slightly concave and its lower side convex and fitting snugly against the top of the discharge end around the periphery of the discharge Opening I. m Fig. 1 this flexing is exaggerated, since if the cap fits closely, the amount of actual fiexing will be so slight as to amount almost to a mere tendency to dish, the tendency being checked by the top of the discharge end against which the cap will bear under tension.

Hg. 2 is a side view of a somewhat modified construction in which the sloping discharge end has a straight portion between the shoulders and the top, and the turned-in edges I, I of the fianges I I engage the discharge end I forcing the flanges I, I outwardly under tension.

Figs. 8 and 4 show the cap applied to a discharge end of substantially cylindrical or frustoconical form. In this view the cap is applied to a can instead of a collapsible container and it is to be understood that this invention is applicable to either type of container. It will be observed that grooves are formed in the periphery of the discharge end forming shoulders I", I". As a precaution to prevent the cap from rotating and coming off there is provided a groove II in the top of the discharge end and a cooperating downwardly extending projection I I in the cap (see Fig. 4).

In Fig. 6 the grooves I", I" are replaced by an annular recess I The same co-operating groove I! and projection II shown in Fig. 4 are provided to prevent rotation of the cap.

In Fig. 6 the cap is mounted for rotation on the discharge end, the downwardly expressed proau'mee jecticns II, II engaging the periphery of the discharge end to prevent the cap from sliding off.

In Fig. 7 a depending lug II is substituted for the projections II, II illustrated in Fig. I.

In Fig. 8 three fianges I are substituted for the two fianges I and the space between the flangm is. is partially closed by laterally extending In Figs. 9 and 10 three fianges I" are used to secure the cap I to the discharge end, and depending lugs II extend between them to partially close the space and to assist in holding the cap on the discharge end.

Figs. 11 and 12 represent a sealing means comprising an outwardly extending blister or piece of thin frangible material II which extends over the discharge opening I and into or through the opening I in the cap. The edges of the opening I in the cap are preferably bevelled and when the cap is rotated the said edges will shear the blister and thus break the seal. This construction is particularly adapted for use in collapsible containers where the discharge and is formed by an extrusion process, in which the blister II may be formed by constructing the mould so that instead of forming an opening in the discharge end an area of greatly decreased thickness is formed, the material covering such area extending outwardly. However for convenience of description this area of reduced thickness which ultimately forms the opening, is referred to in the specification and claims as an opening, and the piece of thin frangible material II is referred to as a seal or closure applied to the opening. It is to be understood that the claims are intended to cover such an opening and seal whether the seal is formed of a separate piece of material applied to the opening or is formed integrally with the top in the manner above described.

In Figs. 18 and 14 I show a modified sealing and opening means in which a thin piece II of frangible material is formed over the discharge opening I, and the cap I is provided with the usual opening I to one edge of which is hinged a piece of metal II ordinarily of the same material as the cap provided with downturned edges II- adapted to pierce the frangible seal II when the hinged piece II is pressed downwardly. After the seal has thus been broken the hinged piece II may be lifted by the lip I I" and removed by breaking the hinged connection with the cap. The thin piece of material I! may be formed integral with the discharge end of the container in the manner referred to in the next preceding paragraph and the opening II and the hinged piece II are preferably formed by a single stamping operation. Means are provided on the container to indicate where the thin piece of frangible material II is located on the discharge end, the means in Figs. 13 and 14 being an arrow and the words Press here". The top of the discharge opening is preferably conical to prevent accidentally pressing down of the hinged piece II when the containers are packed for shipment.

In Fig. 15 I show sealing means such as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, with a cap on which the opening I extends substantially over the whole top of the cap I, the top of the cap comprising only a small portion I adapted to register with the opening I in the discharge end and having serrated or toothed edges adapted to cut the seal II when the cap is rotated.

When the invention is applied to a cap of cylindrical form having a continuous annular shoulder, any desired number of shoulder-engaging flanges may be used.

What I claim as myinvention is:

1. A closure for containers comprising a discharge end having an opening therein, a cap slidably mounted thereon and having a top of resilient material, and means engaging the discharge end for flexing the top of the cap so that the top is depressed and bears down under tension against-the top of the discharge end during the whole of the travel of the cap.

2. A closure for containers comprising a discharge end having an opening therein and provided with shoulders'on opposite sides thereof spaced from the top, a slide cap of resilient material having at least two flanges depending from the sides thereof, and adapted to engage said shoulders, and said depending flanges when in engagement with said shoulders being outwardly tensioned whereby the top of the said cap is depressed and bears down under tension against the top of the discharge end.

3. A closure for containers comprising a discharge end having an opening therein and provided with shoulders on opposite sides thereof spaced from the plane of the top, a slide cap of resilient material having at least two flanges depending from the sides thereof, and adapted to engage said shoulders, said discharge end sloping inwardly and upwardly from said shoulder whereby the cap may be snapped over said discharge end, the depending flanges being tensioned when the cap is on the discharge end whereby the top of the said cap is depressed into close contact with the top of the discharge end.

4. A closure constructed as set forth in claim 2 in which the discharge end of the closure is substantially cylindrical and the shoulders are formed by grooves in the sides thereof.

5. A closure constructed as set forth in claim 2 in which the discharge end of the closure is cylindrical and the shoulders are formed by an annular recess in the sides thereof.

6. A closure constructed as set forth in claim 2 Q in which the cap is provided with downward projections between the flanges for engagement with the discharge end of the container to retain the cap thereon.

'7. A closure for containers comprising a discharge end having an opening therein and provided with shoulders on opposite sides thereof spaced from the top, a slide cap of resilient material having at least two depending flanges, adapted to engage the underside of said shoulders, the part of the underside of each shoulder which is engaged by the flange being substantially parallel to the plane of the top of the discharge end, and guide means comprising male and female cooperating parts on the head and cap.

8. A closure for containers comprising a substantially cylindrical discharge end having an opening therein and provided with an annular recess in the sides thereof forming a shoulder spaced from and substantially parallel to the plane of the top, a cap of resilient material having at least two depending flanges engaging said shoulder for rotary movement, the said depending flanges when in engagement with said shoulders being outwardly tensioned whereby the top of the said cap is depressed into close contact with the top of the discharge end, and an opening in the cap adapted to register with the opening in the discharge end when the cap is rotated.

9. A closure for containers comprising a substantiallycylindrical discharge end having an opening therein and provided with an annular recess in the sides thereof forming a shoulder spaced from and substantially parallel to the plane of the top, a cap of resilient material having at least two depending flanges engaging said shoulder for rotary movement, the said depending flanges when in engagement with said shoulders being outwardly tensioned whereby the top of the said cap is depressed into close contact with the top of the discharge end, and depending lugs intermediate the said flanges for enclosing the discharge head of the container, and an opening in the cap adapted to register with the opening in the discharge end when the cap is rotated.

10. A closure for containers comprising a substantially cylindrical discharge end having an opening therein and provided with an annular recess in the sides thereof forming a shoulder spaced from and substantially parallel to the plane of the top, a cap of resilient material hav- I ing at least two depending flanges engaging said shoulder for rotary movement, the said depending flanges when in engagement with said shoulders being outwardly tensioned whereby the top of the said cap is depressed into close contact with the top of the discharge end, and lateral extensions on the flanges for enclosing the discharge head of the container, and an opening in the cap adapted to register with the opening in the discharge end when the cap is rotated.

11. A closure for containers comprising a substantially cylindrical discharge end having an opening therein and provided with an annular recess in the sides thereof forming a shoulder spaced from and substantially parallel to the plane of the top, a cap of resilient material having at least three depending flanges engaging said shoulder for rotary movement, the said depending flanges when in engagement with said shoul ders being outwardly tensioned whereby the top of the said cap is depressed into close contact with the top of the discharge end, and an opening in the cap adapted to register with the opening in the discharge end when the cap is rotated.

12. A closure for containers, comprising a discharge end having an opening therein, said opening being initially closed by a piece of thin frangible material, a cap mounted on said discharge and and slidable relative thereto and provided with an opening therein adapted to register with said opening in the discharge end, and a piece of material hingedly connected to the cap adjacent the opening therein and provided with means thereon for rupturing the aforesaid piece of frangible material.

13. A closure for containers, comprising a discharge end having an opening therein, said opening being initially closed by a piece of thin frangible material, a cap mounted on said discharge end and slidable relative thereto and provided with an opening therein adapted to register with said opening, and a piece of material hingedly connected to the cap adjacent the opening therein and provided with downwardly extending projections for rupturing the aforesaid piece of frangible material, the hinged connection with the vcap being adapted to be broken after the said after the piece of tending piece of thin frangible material, a cap mounted on said discharge end and provided with an opening therein into which the aforesaid piece of frangible material initially projects, said cap being adapted to be moved relative to the discharge end to shear the said piece of frangible material, in which the opening in the cap extending throughout the greater part of the top thereof, and the top comprising a small portion adapted to break the piece of frangible material and to register with the opening in the discharge end broken. I

16. A closure for containers comprising a discharge end having an'opening therein and provided with shoulders on opposite sides thereof spaced from and substantially parallel to the plane of the top, a slide cap of resilient material frangible material has been having at least two flanges depending from the sides thereof, the lower edges of said depending flanges being inturned for engagement with said shoulders, and said depending flanges when in engagement with said shoulders being outwardly and downwardly tensioned whereby the top of the said cap is depressed and bears down under tension against the top of the discharge end.

17. A closure for containers comprising a discharge end having an opening therein, a cap slidably mounted thereon and having a top of resilient material, and means engaging the discharge end for flexing the top of the cap so that the top is depressed and bears down under tension against the top of the discharge end during the travel of the cap over the opening.

DONALD W. DES ROCHES. 

